Southfield, Michigan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Southfield, Michigan
City
Left to right from top: Southfield Town Center, American Center, Southfield Public Library, One Towne Square, and Lawrence Technological University.
Flag Seal
Nicknames:  SFLD
Motto(s):  The Center of it All
Location within Oakland County
Southfield, Michigan Location in Michigan Show map of Michigan Southfield, Michigan Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Michigan
County	Oakland
Organized	1830 (as Southfield Township)
Incorporated	1958
Government
• Type	Mayor–council
Area
• City	26.26 sq mi (68.01 km2)
• Land	26.25 sq mi (67.99 km2)
• Water	0.01 sq mi (0.01 km2)
Elevation	682 ft (208 m)
Population  (2020)
• City	76,618
• Density	2,918.45/sq mi (1,126.83/km2)
• Metro	4,296,250 (Metro Detroit)
Time zone	UTC−5 (EST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes	48033–48034, 48037, 48075–48076, 48086
Area code(s)	248 and 947
FIPS code	26-74900
GNIS feature ID	0638439

Southfield is a city located in Oakland County, Michigan, in the United States. It is a suburb of Detroit, found about 15 kilometers (9 miles) northwest of downtown Detroit. In 2020, the city had a population of 76,618 people.

Southfield is known for its many business areas, including the Southfield City Centre. This area has the tallest building in Detroit's suburbs. The city is also home to Lawrence Technological University. Southfield was originally part of Southfield Township before it became its own city in 1958. The city of Lathrup Village is a small area completely surrounded by Southfield.

History of Southfield

How Southfield Began

Southfield was first mapped out in 1817 by Michigan's governor, Lewis Cass. The first people to settle here came from nearby towns like Birmingham and Royal Oak, Michigan. They also came from New York and Vermont. John Daniels was one of the first settlers in 1823. Other founding families included the Heth, Stephens, Harmon, McClelland, and Thompson families.

Becoming a Township and City

The area was first called Ossewa Township in 1830. However, its name was changed to Southfield Township just 17 days later. The name "Southfield" came from its location in the "south fields" of Bloomfield Township. A post office opened in 1833, and the first town hall was built in 1873.

The Southfield Fire Department started in 1942, and the Police Department in 1953. In the 1950s, smaller towns like Lathrup Village (1950) and Beverly Hills (1957) became separate cities within the township. Most of the remaining township became a city on April 28, 1958. This was done to prevent Detroit from taking over more land.

Travelers Tower 1 in Southfield.

Developing the Civic Center

Southfield's City Hall was built in 1964 as part of a new Civic Center complex. This complex also included the police headquarters. The Civic Center grew in 1971 to add a sports arena with a swimming pool. Evergreen Hills Golf Course was added in 1972. In 1978, a new public safety building, the Southfield Pavilion, and a new court building were built.

In 2003, the Southfield Public Library was expanded and reopened. It has modern facilities and is also located in the Civic Center. Outside the Civic Center, Southfield has many parks and recreation spots. These were mostly built in the 1970s, like Beech Woods Recreation Center.

Southfield's Economy

Southfield is a major business hub for the Detroit area. It has a lot of office space, second only to downtown Detroit. Many well-known international companies have offices or headquarters in Southfield. These include Veoneer, Huf Hülsbeck and Fürst, Denso, Peterson Spring, Federal-Mogul, Lear, R.L. Polk & Co., International Automotive Components, Stefanini, Inc., and Guardian Alarm. More than 100 of the largest companies in the U.S. (Fortune 500) have offices here.

Southfield Town Center across from Lawrence Technological University.

Northland Center, one of the first shopping malls in the country, opened in Southfield in 1954. It closed in 2015. The land is now being redeveloped into a new area with homes and businesses. Southfield also has over 780 acres of parkland.

Architecture in Southfield

Southfield has many interesting buildings built in the Mid-century modern style. This style was popular in the middle of the 20th century. Good examples include the Congregation Shaarey Zedek building, designed by Percival Goodman. Many early works by famous architect Minoru Yamasaki are also in Southfield, like his Reynolds Aluminum building.

Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Southfield, designed by Percival Goodman and opened in 1962.

Minoru Yamasaki's Reynolds Aluminum Sales Office.

Southfield City Centre

The Southfield City Centre is a special area in Southfield. It combines a large business center, a private university, and neighborhoods. It is located near where two major highways, Interstate 696 (I-696) and M-10, meet.

The City Centre was created in 1992. Its goal was to make the area better for walking and to help businesses grow.

International Connections

Southfield is home to several consulates. These are offices that represent other countries. The Consulate of Macedonia and the Consulate of Lebanon are both located in the Southfield Town Center. The Consulate of Iraq is also in Southfield.

Geography of Southfield

Southfield covers an area of about 68 square kilometers (26.28 square miles). Most of this is land, with a very small amount of water. The main branch of the River Rouge flows through the city.

St. John Armenian Church in Southfield, founded by Alex Manoogian.

The city has clear borders:

• To the south: Eight Mile Road
• To the west: Inkster Road
• To the east: Greenfield Road
• To the north: Roughly along Thirteen Mile Road

Southfield is surrounded by other cities and townships. These include Detroit and Redford Township to the south, Farmington Hills to the west, and Royal Oak to the east. The city of Lathrup Village is a separate city completely inside Southfield.

Population and People

Southfield's Population Growth

Southfield has grown quite a bit over the years. Here's how its population has changed:

Who Lives in Southfield?

In 2020, Southfield had 76,618 people living in 31,778 households. The city is very diverse.

Many people in Southfield work in sales, office support, or management. Southfield has a very educated population. About 38.73% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher. This is much higher than the average for most communities.

Diverse Communities in Southfield

Southfield is known for its diverse communities.

African American Community

In 2002, Southfield had the second-largest African American population in the Detroit area. Many African Americans from Detroit have moved to Southfield and other nearby suburbs.

Chaldean Catholic Assyrian Community

Many Chaldo-Assyrians live in Southfield. They are descendants of people from the ancient Nineveh region in North Iraq. The Chaldean Federation of America, a group for Chaldean organizations, is in Southfield. The city also has the area's only Chaldean retirement home.

Word of Faith International Christian Center in Southfield, formerly Duns Scotus College.

Jewish American Community

Since the 1950s and 1960s, many Jewish Americans moved to Southfield from Detroit. Congregation Shaarey Zedek moved to Southfield in 1962. While many have since moved to other suburbs, Southfield still has a lively Orthodox Jewish and Lubavitch community. It is home to Farber Hebrew Day School – Yeshivat Akiva and a kosher grocery store.

Education in Southfield

Public Schools

Southfield Public Schools runs the public schools in the area. Southfield Senior High School for the Arts and Technology (Southfield A&T) is the only high school in the district. There used to be two high schools, but they combined in 2016. Some students in northern Southfield go to schools in the Birmingham City School District. Students in the southeast corner attend schools in the Oak Park School District.

Private Schools

Southfield also has several private schools:

• AGBU Alex and Marie Manoogian School is an Armenian charter school.
• Farber Hebrew Day School – Yeshivat Akiva is a private Jewish school.
• Southfield Christian School is another private school.

Colleges and Universities

Southfield is home to several colleges and universities:

• Lawrence Technological University
• Abcott Institute
• Everest Institute
• Oakland Community College
• The Specs Howard School of Media Arts

The Southfield Public Library provides public library services for the city.

Media in Southfield

Southfield is a major center for broadcast media in the Detroit area. Many television stations have their studios and broadcast facilities here. These include WXYZ-TV, WJBK, WKBD-TV, WMYD-TV, and WWJ-TV. Bally Sports Detroit, a regional sports network, is also located in Southfield.

The city is home to Audacy's Detroit radio studios. Southfield also has WSHJ 88.3 FM, a radio station run by students from Southfield Public Schools. In 1970, radio pioneer Specs Howard started the Specs Howard School of Media Arts in Southfield.

Besides the main Detroit newspapers, The Detroit News and Free Press, Southfield has its own local paper, the Southfield Eccentric. This paper reports on local events and is published twice a week. The headquarters of The Detroit Jewish News and Chaldean News are also in Southfield.

Transportation in Southfield

The Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation (SMART) provides local and regional bus services in Southfield.

Major highways run through the city:

• The John C. Lodge Freeway (M-10)
• I-696
• Southfield Freeway (M-39)
• US 24 (Telegraph Road)

These highways connect to local roads through several interchanges. A very important interchange, known as "The Mixing Bowl," is in Southfield. It connects I-696, US 24, M-10, Lahser Road, and Franklin Road.

Most major streets in Southfield run north-south or east-west, forming a grid. Key east-west streets include 8 Mile Road (the southern border), 9 Mile Road, 10 Mile Road, 11 Mile Road, and 12 Mile Road. Important north-south streets are Telegraph Road, Lahser Road, Evergreen Road, Southfield Road, and Greenfield Road (the eastern border).

Parks and Recreation

The Southfield Parks and Recreation Department manages 775 acres of parks. This includes nature preserves, open spaces, and historic properties across 33 different sites. The city offers many ball fields, tennis courts, handball courts, and picnic areas. There are also soccer fields, play lots, and sand volleyball courts.

Some of the parks include:

• Bauervic Woods Park
• Bedford Woods Park
• Beech Woods Park
• Brace Park
• Burgh Historical Park
• Carpenter Lake Nature Preserve
• Civic Center Park
• Freeway Park
• Inglenook Park
• John Grace Park & Community Center
• John R. Miller Park
• Lahser Woods Park
• Lincoln Woods
• Mary Thompson House & Farm
• Pebble Creek Park
• Simms Park
• Stratford Woods Commons
• Valley Woods Nature Preserve

Notable People from Southfield

See also

In Spanish: Southfield (Míchigan) para niños